1 JN. 4.1-6 Testing the Spirits V.doc

Intro: 1980 Rosie Ruiz 1st women to finish the grueling 26 mile / Boston Marathon /Sweaty & tired looking / Later found out she cheated A.) Looking one day at the classified section of the Statesman Journal newspaper When an Ad caught my eye/ only one like it / it read . . . Doing time "at the Oregon State Pen, but not much longer. I am 6', 190 lb., 41 in excellent shape and interested in meeting a woman of understanding and substance!B.) Thought this is Interesting - guy doing time - not sure why but some felony committed / ( to be honest my 1st thought was skeptical) 1.) If I had a daughter 25yrs - came and said, "Dad, I want to meet this guy"

Wait! You need to look into this more ( Research & really Pray )

Here in 1 John chpt. 4 - John writing to the church as a Father and is encouraging them to do just that ! V. 1-6

  1. John says Beloved do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits
  1. Word test means to Prove And in these verses John gives a Warning but also guidelines to help us against the danger of spiritual gullibility

Four high school boys arrived late to their morning to class They entered the classroom and sadly told their teacher they were late due to a flat tire. The sym teacher smiled and told them it was too bad they were late because they had missed a test that morning.

But then she said that she was willing to let them make it up She gave them each a piece of paper and a pencil and sent them to the four corners of the room. Then she told them they would pass if they could answer just one question: Which tire was flat???

B) This lady was sharp she wasn’t going to be taken in by some sad story but she tested it to see if these things were so !

    1. As Christians we are not to accept everything hear as the truth, even though it comes from supposed " Christian source! " ( Bereans )
  1. As parents we try to teach our children how to eat properly! Not only how / but what to eat / balanced diet ! Meats/ veggies / Dairy etc.
    1. We wouldn't think of them putting just anything in their mouths w/out prior examination

D.) Same is true spiritually - it is important to test what we hear or read as to whether it is truth or error! Prove it to see if it is truth or error!

    1. John shares three insights concerning how we should test - teachings

 

1st Test the content : Specifically what are they saying about Jesus! V.2,3

  1. Word confess means to say the same as another) therefore whoever says same as the Bible - Jesus came in flesh is of God! 1.) But Those who deny that are not!B.) Quest. what is meant by this statement:(Jesus Christ is come in the flesh?) 1.) Jesus is English name for Hebrew word Jehoshua = Jehovah saves Christ is from Grk Christos = anointed one - name for the Messiah!C.) To confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is to confess that Jesus is God come in the flesh! 1.)That the 2nd person of the trinity - has come in the flesh - to die on a cross for redemption of man/ confessing Fully God / Yet fully man !
  1. It is to agree that Jehovah has come in the flesh - to save man from penalty power of sin! It means to Pronounce the DIETY OF CHRIST 1.) Any teaching that denies that ( that Jesus is God ) is not of God!

I read a Gallup poll published not to long ago which surprised me. It said Over 80% of the people in Our country claim to believe in Jesus Christ.

A) But here is the Question Do 80% of Americans really have a saving faith in Jesus Christ?Aa) Are 80% of your neighbors/ co-workers/ acquaintances headed for heaven? I doubt it!B.) You see, even though many are talking about Jesus Christ, claim to be interested in Jesus Christ, or even say they have a relationship with Jesus Christ,

    1. they do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ ! because there are many Lord Jesus Christs being talked about today

C.) There is the Lord Jesus Christ of the modernist. Who says "Jesus was not really born of a virgin - that's just a piece of Hebrew mythology" 1.) They also say- He didn't perform miracles either Consider the feeding of the 5, 000. According to the modernist, what really happened was this: it was the custom of the day, people kept their lunches in the sleeves of their clothes / big / and everyone was hiding their lunch so they wouldn't have to share with their neighbors. But when one little boy stepped forward and said I '11 share - they said - Isn't that sweet? And everyone took out their lunches and shared. That is how the 5000 were fed !

The Jesus of the modernist denies the Deity of Christ by seeking to come up w/ a logical or scientific explanation for the Miracles / Not our Jesus

Nor is He the Jesus Christ of the Jehovah's Witness. The Jesus of the Jehovah's Witness is actually Michael the archangel.

  1. According to Witness theology, Michael came to this earth and became Jesus Christ
    1. His death on the cross does not apply to the common person and His resurrection is denied altogether.

B) Thus the Jesus Christ of the Jehovah Witness is not our Jesus Christ C) Nor is HE the Jesus Christ of the Christian Scientist, who simply holds Him up as a Divine Ideal.

  1. The Christian Scientist denies anything negative or evil - including hell.D)The C. Scientist holds Jesus as a Master whose primary purpose was to teach us a positive way to think and live! But He's not our Lord Jesus Christ!

Nor is our Lord Jesus Christ of the Jesus Christ of the Mormon, who teaches that Jesus Christ was the offspring of Adam, God and Mary

  1. And that when Jesus appeared in the flesh, He was a polygamist, secretly married to several of the Marys of the Bible, as well as to Martha

B) The more you study the teachings of Mormonism, the more you realize their Jesus Christ is not our Lord Jesus ChristC) Nor is our Lord Jesus Christ the Jesus Christ of the New Ager who says,Christ is everywhere! 1) He's in you He's in me. He's the Divine spark who just needs to be fanned through contemplation and meditationD) The Jesus Christ of the New Ager is a crystal Christ/ While our Jesus Christ is the Rock of Ages!

And That is the problem with the teachings of other religions - they denyDeity of Christ/ That Jesus was God in flesh'A.) But Jesus is reduced to a god - or angel Some kind of " Christ Consciousness

  1. Jesus made it plain - seen me, seen the Father - He said "I and myFather are one"! 1) He said - He was the only way to the Father & proved it by rising again from the dead! ( sets Him apart from any other religious leader )

C) So the first test - Do they teach that Jesus in God in the flesh! Come to redeem man? If not - error! 2nd test: How the World receives them ! V.5 They are of the world -therefore they speak as of the world and world hears them!A.) You could say There is a certain degree of political correctness "about them! Know How push the right buttons

B) A man who owned a city's newspaper had 3 sons. He offered ownership of the paper to the son who could write the most sensational headline of only 3 words. 1) The first son's headline was, "Reagan Turns Communist." The second son came up this: "Khomeini Becomes Christian."C) But the third son inherited the newspaper when his headline was submitted. It had only two words, "Pope Elopes."D) Now That is how it is w/ False teachers they know how to push the right buttons to /say the right things to appeal to who they are talking to !

1) They know how to Appeal to mans needs Or emotions/tell what want to hear! 2 Tim 4:3,4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.( Sad profile of the American Public )

False teachers are often smooth in their talk/ good at telling people what they want to hear!/ Make it sound just right

A.) Like the Health, wealth and prosperity/ If you give to my ministry - God bless you 10 fold",

  1. "God wants you healthy - wealthy/- no sickness and rich & Prosperous 1) Now if they really believed what they were teaching they should be sending you money instead of threatening to go off the air!

C) If they really believed in the "seed faith principle " ( Give a gift or plant a seed you will be blessed ten fold ) Really believed I'll you to 10,000 1.)Instead they live - luxuriously homes, fancy cars, All in name of gospel!D.) And people do give / that is a Popular teaching -because it is appealing to the the flesh ! (People want to be healthy and Rich )E.) Yet in Phil.- Paul said "I lay aside all things - whatever gain to me that ~ may know Him and power of His Rez/and the fellowship of His suffering conformed to His death!"F.)You Don't hear about Fellowship of His suffering or that kind of talk - in these circles! - "You are not supposed to suffer "(suffering is a bad hair day! ) Another area where false teachers and religions appeal to man's flesh isin idea - man needs to do something! /A.) Follow a standard! Keep a code Rules and regulations/ that is appealing to my flesh as well B)Some want To be able to Say like E F. Hutton concerning their salvation - - "I was saved old fashion way - I earned it" 1.) that is appealing! - I changed myself - I changed my life! Found it !

Bb) Like the Little train that could / positive mental attitude/ Sad but There is going to be Positive people who will go to hell / Down there going it’s not hot!C.) Bible declares that Jesus did for man what He couldn't do for Himself! 1.) Man - broke 10 commandments/ standard, / separated from God /Penalty/ wages of sin is death / but that Jesus paid price .D) But a lot of men don’t like that - free ticket - just believe in Jesus - I don't think so! There must be something I need to do ?

  1. In 1 Cor2:14 the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

  1. The idea that Jesus did it all / that by grace we are saved / undeserved favor / makes no sense to people in the World / Performance based acceptance !
    1. Being a Christian means you are not judged by your performance but on His !

So 2nd test John gives ( watch how the world receives them !) / Those who are false teachers - speak as the world - world hears them!

3rd thing v.6 - Those who are not of God do not hear the Word of God!

Aa) When John says they don’t hear us / referring to Teaching /sharing Word !A.) False teachers Either reject what the bible says altogether or they seek to change what Bible says in order to fit their theology:B) So the Mormons have Book of Mormon - J.W. Watchtower and other groups have their writings - why? 1.) So they can "clarify 'and contradict the teachings of the Word!C.) For centuries "Scholars have rejected the Bible and have sought to explain it away! Voltaire declared the bible was on the way out

  1. After his death printing the bible in his home !

D) Consider reliability - 1500 years, 40 authors, 3 languages, 3 continents - all points to Jesus

    1. Consider prophecies concerning Christ, /Jesus is not some weird guru who showed up on the scene, claiming to have some fresh revelation ~

E.) Rather centuries before He appeared, promises were given concerningHim , reason?/ NO doubt! / Chosen one Messiah - Savior of humanityMicah 5 - told us where He would be born / in Bethlehem - written over 700 years before the event!Isaiah chapt 7 - way He would be born of Virgin over 600 yearsDaniel - How come into the Holy City - Dan 9 over 500 years< to the day Zech 11 - Betrayed by a friend & sold for 30 pieces of silver not 28 or 13 but 30 and that the silver would be cast down on floor in temple - used to buy a potter s fields over 400 years before birthDavid - Psalm 22 - kind of death he would die - over 900 years

Question: What is the statistical possibility that these 8 prophecies couldbe fulfilled by one person?A.) In his excellent book , 'science speaks - author Peter Stoner works it out sayspossibilities 1/10 to the 27th power ~

  1. But listen there were not 8 prophecies - but over 300 concerning 1st coming, death and Rez / over 300 all fulfilled perfectly!

C.) Over and over again the Bible continues to prove it's reliability /and those who are true believers believe the Word/ that it is the infallible Word of God!

  1. And those who don't False teachers
  1. Those who are of the Spirit of error are those who do not hear the Word or except the word !

So John gives us this Warning / test or prove the spirits / test the teachings

  1. 3 test : Content - What say about Jesus ? God in the flesh . Only way?
  1. 2nd How is their message received by the World ? Jesus said don’t be surprised if the world hates you / it hated me !
  1. 3rd Do they follow the scriptures or twist & contradict them !

 

She almost missed the Plane / She was a young pretty girl who was living in So. Calif. But was heading home to the mid west to visit her father

  1. Their relationship was strained a bit since she had been away / and he couldn’t understand why she wanted to live out here
  1. I hate to fly she said as she flopped down into her seat / I usually put off getting here to the very last minute . this time she almost put it off too long .

1) She coped w/ her fear of flying by talking & she talked a lot !

  1. The man she was sitting next to just happened to be a Pastor / he told her that his wife hated to fly as well / opened his bible Psa. 23 / read this it may help.
  2. Tears welled up in her eyes as she read the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want .
    1. I remember this she said I used to read this when I was younger, when I used to go to Church.
  1. Her physical father wasn’t the only one she was away from . She had once professed faith in Christ but now she was away from Him
    1. Living w/ her boyfriend / party life / drank a bit - smoked a pack a day /

 

Now here is what is interesting to me / so typical / the conversation turned toward heaven . / Pastor asked her do you think you are going there!

  1. Her answer ? Sure I am going to Heaven ! How can you be so sure?

Because I am a good person - was her reply .

  1. Only smoke a pack a day - made my boyfriend take an Aids test / I am kind and Honest - of course I will go to heaven !
    1. This gal had a false sense of assurance / but she really knew the truth deep inside that is why Psa 23 made her cry
  1. In the same way that she had put off getting to the airport she was putting off dealing w/ her soul !
    1. She had almost missed the Plane & was on the verge of missing eternity
  1. Because she was choosing to believe a lie / getting into heaven is based on How good You are ! Problem: You won’t find that in the Bible !
    1. The bible says None of us was good enough - all sinned / fallen short / missed it / but that is why Jesus came !
  1. His Performance Perfect - His performance was complete It is finished -paid in full - debt is gone !

 

 

 

Perhaps you are here today never made a commitment to Jesus ! Believed the truth

  1. You are in jeopardy of missing the Plane ! ( Heaven ) Jesus said if you are not for me you are against me !
  1. Perhaps you are here and you are away from the father / who loves you / you had a relationship once but have wandered away . own thing
    1. Perhaps you got sucked into some false teaching / road of self help - focus has been on what you need to do
  1. Come home today ! Your Father is waiting !

Profess Christ Again ! God / the way / Your Lord give Him your heart / you won’t be disappointed !